Blogging for the Gray Wolf

Every year, thousands of wolf dogs are abandoned by their owners and end up in shelters. Please be a responsible pet owner.

This is a video of Luke, a wolf dog, rescued by Mission Wolf. He has had virtually no socialization with humans. He looks like a wolf/husky cross, a gentle giant.

Think about wolf dogs like Luke and compare him to wolves that are hunted down and killed for no reason other then blood lust. Do the people that hunt and hurt these animals think they don’t feel pain and agony being shot with high powered rifles? It breaks my heart to think how they must suffer.

Wolves and wolf dogs are some of the most sensitive and social of creatures. It’s a shame some people lack empathy and kill these magnificent animals.

*Wolves never have blue eyes. Only if there are husky genes in the mix.

Very nice video! I really enjoyed watching it. I like how you can see the actual size of him – it’s hard to tell just how large the wolves (and hybrids) are until they are standing around another human or animal. So beautiful.

Glad you enjoyed the video Lyndell. Luke is a big boy, I think it says he weighed 130 lbs. You can also see where his belly was shaved for surgery. I wonder what happened to him, if he was shot or ingested something that damaged his intestines?

Wolves can be very large and also normal size too. Pure wolves sometimes look larger then they are because they are usually very tall, have large heads and thick coats. I think they are one of the most beautiful animals on earth. I’m so glad Luke was rescued but I read on Mission Wolves website that over the years they have had to turn down 9000 wolves or wolf hybrids that needed homes. It’s a very serious problem. There are many wolf dog websites that are looking for homes for these animals. I think I might create a page to link to some of those websites to try and help them find homes.

Please do! I would love to see some links or websites for Wolfdogs or hybrids, I love them! My aunt had one, an all black with amber eyes one-he was huge-but a big soft teddy bear. His name was Shadow and he was better behaved than any purebreed dog. He died 2 years ago from a hip diease. I really like wolfdogs, I love wolves also, I think they are perfect and beautiful animals that were just judged wrong. People think of wolves or wolfdogs as, (a quote) “Vicous, child harming, not good enough standards for humans or anyone to be living around for that manner.” (unquote.) I DISAGREE, the fact that Shadow was well behaved, a very good pet and friend, and never attacked anyone was enough to let me know that not all of them are like this. I would like a wolfdog, but I must find the right time, how ever, if you did put up wolfdogs rescues and websites and other things that lead to websites that have useful information, I would like to go to it please. Thank you so much for your time and kindess.

Thanks for posting that. I have the privilege of volunteering at a wolf sanctuary in Northern Colorado, W.O.L.F. It is hard to put into words what it is like to be around these animals and to be able to help them. They are truly magnificent animals. I wish people would realize that they are not meant to be pets. It is truly a labor of love for the people who run these sanctuaries and it is such an honor to be able to help ensure that these animals live out their lives in a good place where they are loved and well taken care of.

How lucky you are to be able to volunteer on behalf of wolves. I volunteer at a local animal shelter and we had a dog a couple of years ago that I believe was more wolf than dog. He was white and we named him Ghost. He was very sick with kennel cough when he came in so for the first 10 days or so, he was too sick to even take for a short walk. I would go and sit in the kennel with him and you could tell there was just something a little bit different about him. He had such dignity for one thing. I wanted to adopt him so badly, but because of the treatment he had received at the hands of an very irresponsible person, he had separation anxiety, as well as other issues. As someone who works full-time that would be a huge problem to over come.

I did end up adopting my dog a few weeks later. Ghost was adopted by a young forest ranger who took him to work each day, so in the end it worked out better for him. But I will never, ever forget him.

Your welcome Becky. You’re very lucky to work with wolves and wolf dogs. That’s a very noble thing to do. I know it’s a big problem and that many wolf dogs are put down at shelters because their owners had no idea how to care for them. Keep up the good work and I’m sure the wolves and wolf dogs thank you.

Nice correlation between wolves and dogs. I really don’t understand the people that own dogs, but hate wolves. There seems to be some sort of cognitive dissonance (uncomfortable feeling caused by holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously) that I wish could have been healed long ago.

It seems many of the human species have this psychological defect about animals in general, but wolves especially.

g…
I believe you’re right. There is a disconnect. How can wolf killers and haters not look at wolves and realize they are canines, just like their own dogs, is beyond me.
Dogs exist because humans domesticated wolves thousands of years ago. I love this quote that speaks to the domestication of wolves.

“We already have domesticated wolves, they’re called dogs.”

N.

PS. Luke is a beautiful boy. So glad he was rescued by Mission Wolf. He is one of the lucky ones.

Hope everyone wandered thru some of the other videos that appeared at the bottom of Luke’s video. Rami’s Court Day was a real treat, not only for the content (by Mission Wolf) but the music was soooo sweet!

I think there’s a big difference between how some people view their dogs, as in members of the family. We pamper and spoil them and truely enjoy their company. Not so with ranch dogs. Few ever see the inside of warm house, because they are working animals not pets. Too often they are not spayed or neutered (one of my ranching neighbors’ dogs just had her 2nd litter of puppies) The father is either one of the un-neutered males on their ranch or one of the un-neutered males from another ranch down the road.

The more aggressive the dog is with working cattle, the better but many end up getting kicked and injured. (I had another neighbor who shot her own dog because he got bored, started running sheep and killed one) I’ve often wondered if ranchers took dogs out of the picture, maybe their livestock would develop a fight, rather than flight mentality against coyotes and wolves.

Nancy,
I absolutely love this video, saw it when it first came out and was mesmerized. It shows so many things. First that being a predator isn’t an easy life, one of the lions was thrown into the air, they were chased relentlessly by the big bull and other buffalo. The crocs and lions failed at getting the baby but the singular most wonderful part of this video is the power of love. Those water buffalo were not going to allow the lions to take their baby. I think they almost had a meeting before they came back and attacked. The power of the herd. I hope the little guy survived. He probably did because buffalo hide is so thick. Fifty one million people viewed that video. Just amazing!! Thanks for posting it. Goes to show when you don’t disarm the bulls, like they do with the cattle in America they can do some serious damage.

Wild animal hybrids don’t really belong in people’s homes. I wish people would realize this before buying a wolfdog rather than after. You take a dog (domesticated wolf) and add back a bunch of genes for wild, predatory behavior that humans have taken millennia to reduce or remove through selective breeding–the result is not safe for people who aren’t experts in handling wild animals. There are fundamental differences between wild wolves and their domesticated counterparts.

It takes a special person to properly care for exotic pets, especially large carnivores like wolves. This wolfdog is probably better off in a sanctuary where he can be cared for by knowledgeable people.

OF COURSE, THE VIDEO OF LUKE IS SUPER, BUT I DON’T LIKE BECAUSE IN MISSION WOLF HAVE LOT OF OTHERS LUKE… WHY PEOPLES CROSS WOLF WITH DOG? WHY? I JUST CAME BACK FROM YOUTUBE,I’M IN TEARS AGAIN,I’M SO SAD.ON YOUTUBE I SAW LOT OF NEW VIDEO ABOUT THE LAST HUNT SEASON IN MONTANA,IDAHO,ALASKA…I COMMENTED WITH LOT OF VIOLENTLY.I’M SO WORTHLESS…AND I ADORE SO MUCH WOLVES…

I have several German Shepherd dogs, and know several wolf hybrids. Not one of these lovely creatures put himself or herself in the position of being unwanted; it took the useless human beings to screw up the animals’ lives.Count me in on doing what I can to protect those we can reach in time.

Hi Dorothy,
You are so right. There is no reason to be killing wolves except hatred of them Humans should have learned something by now but all we have to do is look to the Gulf disaster and realize we’ve learned nothing.

I researched wolfdogs for a long time and even went to a wolfdog rescue to see them in person. Heart breaking. Breeders screen their applicants intensely for this reason. Well, a good breeder should.

I own a wolfdog, and I love him to bits! Best pet I ever had! I really can’t stand the ignorance of some folks. A roommate once thought my wolfdog could get her at night. Hell, my grey wolf mix is more gentle than any pure bred I ever owned! I never tell anyone in the neighborhood what he really is. Call him a northern breed mutt or a malamute, if anything. Never mention the wolf content. Everyone comments on his extremely well behaved manners and friendly nature. I would love to tell the world what awesome dogs these make, but I would be afraid in their ignorance, I get my pup shot or banned. Beautiful creatures and very intelligent. Like I said, best pet I have ever had!

As an owner of one of these magnificent creatures, I feel I must speak for all GOOD wolfdog owners, in that like any kind of breed of dog (or animal in general), the owner is what makes the habits of the animal, and at the end of the day, is the one responsible for destructive or aggressive behavior. I heard a lot of statistics about wolfdog related infant mortalities. I find this statistic skewd. Wolfdogs, as well as any other dog or animal, is as well behaved as their owner’s training.

So many people think they are just getting another dog. Wolves and wolf-hybrids are smart – way smarter than the average domestic dog. Huskies and malamutes being among the smartest breeds. Treat a dog right and it will do so in kind.
I’m not sure people know this, but the dog in “The Little Rascals” was actually a pit-bull terrier.

You’re so right Jennifer, it’s the owner that sets the standard. I have always believed in reward training for any kind of dog. I’m not a big Cesar Milan fan, because I’m not intersted in dominating my dog but being a partner with him. I find they respond to treats better then threats. It works for me.

Hi Jenniffer,
Wolf dogs can make wonderful pets for the right owner. Many people that own these animals don’t understand the wolf part of their nature. Many wolfdog breeders are only in it for the money. They tell people their wolf dog is a high content wolf when more then likely it is low content. The point is many of these dogs end up in shelters because their owners were not prepared to care for these special animals.

You dog sounds amazing and thanks for being such a great pet owner and owning one of these animals. I often see people with actual wolves as pets and wonder where they obtained them. As much as I love wolves I don’t think purebred wolves should be someone’s pet, they belong in the wild. Just my take.

I am fairly new to the wolfdog scene but have been a lifelong avid lover of all animals. In my recent search for my first dog, I found Mister Spaz, who has turned out to have all of his documentation from his breeder regarding his wolf-husky heritage, despite my home being his third. He is full grown around 70 pounds and I live in a small apt with my husband and two year old son. I know this sounds like a bad combination but I think we’re an example of how someone who’s caring and takes the time makes the difference in how an animal is perceived. We take numerous walks throughout the day and go to a large dog park at least once a day so Spaz can run. He paces at night if we didn’t stay long enough at the park. The first week he was with us, he had no recall and while friendly, was not affectionate. We almost never leave him home, he is my, or my husband’s constant companion. As I tell people, I wouldn’t leave my son at home, so why would I leave another member of the family, or the pack? We joked about naming him “Shadow” because he is rarely more than five feet from me. Ever. The biggest thing that someone taking a wolfdog as a companion needs to know is that he isn’t just a dog, you cannot chain him up in the backyard, you cannot treat him like a pet. He is a pack member and will respect you only as much as you respect him.
I have been doing more and more research about wolfdogs since I got Spaz. There are so many for sale in my area, I wonder as many of you have, where people are getting the wolf counterpart for these wolfdog puppies. I have found at least one website that, though it was outdated, made me nearly cry in frustration and anger as it claimed to catalogue the deaths of children by wolfdogs, and called for them to be banned and destroyed in every city. I couldn’t help but notice that nearly every story of a fatality began with “a wolfdog chained in the backyard …”
Back in April in this line of posts there was one from Nabeki saying you might create a page to link the websites of places trying to find these beautiful animals to homes here. I just found your website, so maybe I just missed it, but did you create a page to help link us to those places seeking homes for wolfdogs? I would be very interested to check them out.

Thank you Brooke for sharing your story about Mister Spaz..what a wonderful animal. Wolfdogs are in serious trouble…there are so many of them in shelters as you said and also wolves as well. I actually have a puppy that may be a wolf dog. We rescued him from a shelter…he is part husky and part wolf we think. He is a wonderful dog but as you said we don’t leave him alone. He never barks, he does that husky woo, woo thing sometimes.

I am still thinking of creating a page for people to link to wolfdogs seeking homes. I have no excuse to not have done it yet except that I’ve been crazy busy with wolves. I’ll try to get something up soon, this a very important issue!!

I love wolves. They’ve always been my favorite animal, I think that is because of my last name and when I saw a wolf in books I thought they were just beutiful animal I’ve ever seen. And to know that people would o that just makes me sad.

I have a wolf dog named Scout. He is white with tan and has blue eyes.
He just turned 8months old and he weighs 70lbs. He is very smart and lovable. He has become my best friend. He sleeps in the house at night and wants to follow me everywhere.

This blog is dedicated to the memory of Wolf 253, the beloved Yellowstone Druid wolf named Limpy, who was shot and killed in March 08, on the very day ESA protections were lifted for the gray wolf, by the then Bush Administration.